U.S. Route 280
U.S. Route 280 or U.S. Highway 280 '('US 280) is a spur route of U.S. Highway 80 in the U.S. states of Georgia and Alabama. It currently runs for 392 miles (631 km) from Blitchton, Georgia at US 80 to Birmingham, Alabama at I-20/I-59. For much of its route, US 280 travels through rural areas and smaller cities in southern Georgia and east central Alabama. Once the highway approaches Birmingham, it is a major suburban route. Numerous shopping centers are located on US 280 throughout northern Shelby County and southern Jefferson County. US 280 is the main connector between Birmingham and Auburn, Alabama. Through Talladega County, Alabama, US 280 is known as the "Jim Nabors Highway", in honor of the Sylacauga, Alabama, native known for portraying the television character Gomer Pyle. The historical designation of US-280 and Alabama State Route 38 (AL 38) is the "Florida Short Route". For many years, US 280 and AL 38 were considered one of the more dangerous routes in Alabama, due to the number of large stretches of narrow two-lane roadway leading southeastward from Birmingham. Work was completed in 2006 making US 280 a four-lane highway throughout the entire state of Alabama. This project began in the 1970s. As a result, US 280 now bypasses numerous small towns in east Alabama, including Goodwater, Jackson's Gap, Camp Hill and Waverly. In Georgia, US 280 from Columbus to I-16 is also a Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) corridor known as "Power Alley". Route description Alabama & 59 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. This is also the northern terminus of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway.]] US 280 terminates concurrently with U.S. 31 at I-20/I-59. US 31 continues onward at this point. This major junction is currently closed as is the stretch of I-20/I-59 between this interchange and I-65. The route continues through downtown Birmingham with US 31. They junction with US 11 and US 78 and climb over Red Mountain into Mountain Brook. Here, US 280 splits off of US 31 at a highly complex interchange with elements of a Directional-T and a Partial Cloverleaf. It continues on somewhat of a freeway through Mountain Brook, eventually reaching The Summit, a huge outdoor mall. It also junctions with I-459 at this point, at a cloverleaf interchange which is being modified to better suit traffic. The route continues through one of the more developed areas of east Birmingham and eventually climbs up a very slight hill into Shelby County and Chelsea. It continues east to Harpersville, which is home to its junction with US 231 north and AL 25. US 280 continues with US 231 until it reaches the Coosa River, which it crosses into Talladega County. It eventually reaches Sylacauga, which is home to its junction with US 231 south and AL 21. This specific junction is a diamond interchange, commonly used on freeways. The route continues southeast through northern Coosa County until it has another diamond interchange with AL 9. It then passes through Kellyton, which is home to its minor junction with AL 115. It crosses into Tallapoosa County just before entering Alexander City, which is home to Russell Athletic. US 280 junctions with AL 22 and AL 63 in the city. It then proceeds through slightly hilly terrain to Dadeville. It junctions with AL 49, which connects the route to the Talladega National Forest/Cheaha State Park. It leaves Dadeville, promptly enters Camp Hill, junctions with AL 50, and enters the southwestern corner of Chambers County, and then crosses into Lee County. The route then reaches The Bottle, which is named for some "weird" statue placed near US 280. It crosses into Auburn, which is barely skimmed by US 280 as it then crosses into nearby Opelika. The route junctions with US 29/I-85. It joins the freeway with them and continues through I-85's junction with AL 51. It then splits off of the road with US 431. It continues on a heavily traveled road into Russell County, and eventually to Phenix City, which is actually in the Eastern Time Zone due to its close proximity with Columbus, Georgia across the Chattahoochee River. It junctions with US 80, its parent route. The route then leaves US 431 behind and crosses the Chattahoochee River, leaving Alabama and entering Georgia in Columbus. US 280 has a length of 141.356 miles (227.490 km) in Alabama. US 280 has the unsigned designation of State Route 38 (AL 38) throughout its length in Alabama. Georgia US 280 begins in Muscogee County, Georgia at the state's border with Alabama in Columbus. There it is paired with State Route 520 and U.S. Route 27. It maintains this designation as it passes through Fort Benning. US 280 continues east, where it passes through Plains (the boyhood home of Jimmy Carter) and becomes cosigned State Route 30 in Americus. It maintains this designation until the route's eastern terminus in Blitchton. History Prior to the completion of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway in Birmingham, US 31, US 78, and US 280 traveled concurrently until they intersected US 11 at the intersection of 1st Avenue North and 24th Street. Major intersections See also * U.S. Route 180 * U.S. Route 380 * Special routes of U.S. Route 80 Category:U.S. Route 280 Category:United States Numbered Highways Category:Highways and roads Category:Auxiliary U.S. Highways Category:U.S. Highways in Alabama Category:U.S. Highways in Georgia Category:U.S. Route 80 Category:Highways numbered 280